Sunday, October 19, 2008

Will Szavay reach the second round in Linz?

I ask this question because Szavay is having a bad season, and has failed to get out of the first (or, when she had a bye, the second) round of a long list of of tournaments this year. In Linz, her first round looks extremely tough on paper, but in reality, it may give her an opportunity to advance. She plays Flavia Pennetta, who is having the best season of her career, but who appears to be rather tired after playing a lot of matches lately (and on a bad foot, at that).

Of course, Pennetta could gather some energy and defeat Szavay, something she is tactically more than capable of doing. But if she doesn't, that would put Szavay in a second round against Dominika Cibulkova (unless something goes very wrong in Cibulkova's first round match). Could she then get past Cibulkova?